Friday, 7 October 2011

Do you know where you are moored tonight?

It was a pleasant evening on board NB Snowgoose a week ago today, we had moved inside to evade the smell wafting over us from the sewage farm above Derwent mouth lock.
A glass of wine was offered and accepted and story telling had begun, all of a sudden Jill says "I don't feel very well". I looked at her and notice that her eyes had glazed over and her head was drooping, I checked her pulse 120 bpm looked at her face again and her left cheek and mouth had drooped, asked her to lift her arms, she could only raise her right arm, what next what next oh yes "Jill smile for me please, Jill speak to me" all very slurred and unintelligible. "Andy call 999 and get an ambulance"

"Hello operator, we need an ambulance, a lady aboard my boat is having a stroke" says Andy.
Operator " where are you?" " we are on a narrowboat at Derwent mouth lock" says Andy.
"Where is that?" says the operator.
"Its about a mile and a bit from the pubs in Shardlow" says Andy
"Shardlow where?" says the operator.

You get the picture, whilst all this was going on we were all scrabbling around to try and find the name of the nearest road.

I have learnt my lesson, know exactly where you are all the time and be prepared.

Oh by the way Jill was taken into hospital in Derby and sent back to the boat the next day, she had a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) which is commonly known as a Mini Stroke. She has made a complete recovery but must take it very easy for a while which she isn't finding very easy.

What we would have done without our neighbours Lizzie and Andy on NB Snowgoose I don't know but we'll tell you exactly what they did for us tomorrow.

How difficult would it be to paint postcodes on locks whilst carrying out routine painting? It could save a life.

Hi Liz and Chas, it's something we never thought about before - the only time we ever sorted out where we were was when we were expecting visitors! Talking of which.....if not this year then we WILL pin you to a date early next year, big hugs from us

I like your idea of notices and hopefully it will happen eventually. In the meantime should any boaters need a post code for any reason, look on CanalplanAC, for example www.canalplan.org.uk/gazetteer/ukcj is the entry for Derwent Mouth lock.

Andy, that's assuming you've a computer AND a signal. I've also realised that, actually, it was a rubbish idea for emergencies as it's nowhere near enough information for an ambulance to find you, although I suppose it's a starting base. Thanks for the best wishes